Individuals should work in teams at workplaces so that the work is accomplished at a much faster rate and errors are reduced to a large extent. A single human being takes more time to complete a task as compared to individuals working in a team. In a team people can discuss issues among themselves and come out with a unique solution.

Let us go through some handy tips for a professional to be a good team member.

• A professional mustn’t enter his office with a mind clouded with negative thoughts. It has been observed that individuals who are already upset with any other thing tend to fight with their colleagues or those sitting around. Leave your personal problems out the moment you step in the office. Try to have calm and composed mind once you are at work. Be a little more adjusting and flexible. It is absolutely okay if you compromise sometimes. Adopt a positive attitude and do not always find faults in others. Never back bite or overreact at work. If you do not agree with your team members over certain issues and feel they are wrong somewhere, try to make them realize their mistakes without being rude or harsh.

• Accept the responsibilities only if you have interest in the same. Do not accept any role just for the sake of getting a job. It would trouble you later. Discuss your capabilities, specializations and interests with your team manager and then only say yes to any role and responsibility. Be very clear about your KRAs from the very beginning and be focused. In case of a query, don’t keep things to yourself, instead discuss with your immediate superior.

• Your performance will not be affected if you help your team members and be a little more cooperative. Helping people doesn’t mean you will disclose all your professional secrets to others, be a little tactful. Guide them whenever they need your help, but make sure you are not interfering too much in their work. Give each other space. Do not peep at other’s computers. It’s a bad habit.

• A team member must avoid playing blame games or dirty politics at the workplace. It spoils the environment. A professional must have the courage to stand in front of his superiors and make his point clear to all. Don’t trust the rumour mill and never assume things on your own.

• A professional must develop the habit of using planners and organizers at work to set reminders against the desired date and time. It prevents forgetting important dates and the task is finished within the desired time frame. One can also use desk calendar for the same and keep it right in front of him at the desk. Set your priorities and never lose focus. Your objective must be clear. Remember you will get the credit only when you finish your task on time and without errors. Concentrate on your work. Don’t get involved in loose talks and unproductive things.

• An individual must be transparent with his colleagues. You must know the difference between information which should be shared and which shouldn’t. If your mentor shares any information to be passed on to others as well, don’t keep it to yourself. Never try to play with the information and pass it on as it is.

• Adopt a friendly attitude at work. Don’t just treat your fellow workers as mere colleagues. You can have friends even at the workplace; after all you spend the maximum time here, but don’t get too personal and start revealing things.

• Be a good communicator. Acquire a professional approach at work. Never ever use derogatory statements against anyone. It is advisable to depend on written modes of communication. Learn how to write emails. Mark a cc to all the related members. Be careful about your subject line. Don’t write hi in the subject line of the mail being sent to your superior.

• One has to be disciplined at work. If you have a team meeting at 10 am, make sure you are there in the office at 9.45 am. Avoid getting late at work. If the work is to be submitted on 10th of December at 9 am, it must hit your senior’s inbox on 10 December at 8.45 am itself. Don’t take too many leaves.

• Take care of your dressing also. One has to be neatly dressed to create the desired impact. People will not take you seriously if you are dressed shabbily. Your nails must be clean and shoes polished. Avoid wearing loud colours to work.

• A team member should be organized. Don’t throw waste papers here and there, use a dust bin instead. The documents must be filed properly with labels carefully put on each file. Keep the files at the proper place where you can find them easily when required. Use a pen stand and do keep a notepad and a pen handy. Avoid writing phone numbers or any other information on papers as you will definitely misplace them after a while. The visiting cards must be placed in the card folder and try to keep your workstation clean.